🔗 Share this article ‘Sometimes you’ve got to chuckle’: a quintet of UK educators on coping with ‘six-seven’ in the school environment Around the UK, school pupils have been shouting out the phrase “sixseven” during instruction in the most recent viral phenomenon to sweep across educational institutions. Although some instructors have opted to calmly disregard the craze, others have embraced it. Several teachers explain how they’re coping. ‘I thought I had said something rude’ Back in September, I had been addressing my secondary school tutor group about studying for their qualification tests in June. I can’t remember exactly what it was in connection with, but I said something like “ … if you’re targeting results six, seven …” and the entire group erupted in laughter. It surprised me completely by surprise. My immediate assumption was that I had created an hint at something rude, or that they detected a quality in my speech pattern that seemed humorous. Somewhat frustrated – but truly interested and mindful that they had no intention of being hurtful – I asked them to elaborate. Honestly, the explanation they provided failed to create greater understanding – I remained with minimal understanding. What could have made it extra funny was the evaluating movement I had performed during speaking. I later learned that this typically pairs with ““sixseven”: I meant it to help convey the process of me thinking aloud. To kill it off I aim to reference it as much as I can. No strategy diminishes a craze like this more thoroughly than an grown-up trying to get involved. ‘Feeding the trend creates a blaze’ Understanding it assists so that you can steer clear of just accidentally making comments like “well, there were 6, 7 thousand people without work in Germany in 1933”. In cases where the numerical sequence is inevitable, maintaining a firm student discipline system and expectations on learner demeanor is advantageous, as you can address it as you would any different disruption, but I rarely been required to take that action. Policies are one thing, but if pupils accept what the learning environment is practicing, they will remain less distracted by the online trends (particularly in lesson time). With sixseven, I haven’t wasted any instructional minutes, other than for an occasional raised eyebrow and saying ““correct, those are digits, good job”. If you give focus on it, then it becomes a blaze. I treat it in the identical manner I would treat any other interruption. Earlier occurred the mathematical meme craze a while back, and undoubtedly there will emerge another craze after this. This is typical youth activity. During my own youth, it was imitating comedy characters impressions (truthfully out of the school environment). Students are unpredictable, and I think it’s an adult’s job to respond in a manner that redirects them in the direction of the direction that will get them where they need to go, which, fingers crossed, is completing their studies with certificates rather than a behaviour list a mile long for the utilization of meaningless numerals. ‘Children seek inclusion in social circles’ Students utilize it like a connecting expression in the recreation area: one says it and the others respond to show they are the same group. It’s like a call-and-response or a sports cheer – an agreed language they share. I believe it has any specific importance to them; they simply understand it’s a phenomenon to say. Whatever the newest phenomenon is, they want to feel part of it. It’s forbidden in my teaching space, however – it triggers a reminder if they shout it out – just like any different calling out is. It’s notably tricky in maths lessons. But my pupils at fifth grade are pre-teens, so they’re fairly accepting of the regulations, although I recognize that at secondary [school] it might be a distinct scenario. I have worked as a educator for a decade and a half, and these phenomena last for a month or so. This trend will fade away shortly – they always do, particularly once their younger siblings begin using it and it ceases to be trendy. Subsequently they will be on to the subsequent trend. ‘Occasionally sharing the humor is essential’ I started noticing it in August, while teaching English at a foreign language school. It was mostly boys repeating it. I instructed teenagers and it was prevalent with the junior students. I didn’t understand its significance at the time, but being twenty-four and I recognized it was simply an internet trend akin to when I attended classes. These trends are continuously evolving. ““Toilet meme” was a popular meme during the period when I was at my educational institute, but it failed to exist as much in the educational setting. Unlike ““67”, “skibidi toilet” was not scribbled on the chalkboard in instruction, so students were less equipped to adopt it. I typically overlook it, or periodically I will chuckle alongside them if I unintentionally utter it, trying to relate to them and appreciate that it’s simply youth culture. I believe they just want to enjoy that sensation of togetherness and friendship. ‘Humorous repetition has reduced its frequency’ I have worked in the {job|profession